1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to vehicle security systems, and more particularly relates to multistage vehicle security systems.
2. Background Information
In the past, vehicles have been protected by locks and alarm systems activated by the car owner, for example, with a transmitter attached to a fob. However, conventional alarm systems do not have a way of distinguishing the owner of the fob from any unauthorized users of the vehicle. Thus, if a thief gets possession of the fob, the thief has immediate access to the vehicle as if the thief was the owner of the vehicle.
Certain systems use biometric sensors to identify the individual who is attempting to gain entry into the vehicle and/or access to the operation of the vehicle. For example, the biometric sensor may detect the voice of the user or the user's fingerprints. If the security system determines that the detected biometric characteristic is associated with an authorized user, then the system allows the user access to the operation of the vehicle.